ISLAMABAD, A delegation of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) on Tuesday held a meeting with Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, requesting him to release funds for upgrading the textile sector with retrospective effect, reduction of interest rate, besides calling for uninterrupted supply of electricity and gas to save the industry.

Secretary Finance Abdul Wajid Rana said that the APTMA delegation met with the Finance Minister to discus the issue of reduction in Gas Infrastructure Development Surcharge, adding that no issue pertaining to the Ministry of Finance was discussed. However, Chairman APTMA Mohsin Aziz told Business Recorder that representatives of the textile industry requested the finance minister to allocate necessary funds for upgrading the textile sector and urging the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to issue a notification in this regard. He said that the fund for upgrading the textile industry should be issued with retrospective effect from 2009. Readmore